The Ghost in the machine
by TheConfidentalFish
Summary: After the war, Garrus is called up to investigate the reapers. Tali is hunted by an extremist group, holding a truth that could divide the galaxy. And Javik leads an extremist cult that hunts Artificial Intelligence. Welcome to the Ghost in the machine.


Chapter 1

2185

Earth orbit

Gasp

Garrus limped inside the Normandy, and hated every step that he took. He should've had Shepard's back, but now he was running because of a measly flesh wound. But he had run, because before the final battle Shepard had whispered something into his ear:

"Keep Tali safe."

And so, as he had run into the hangar bay, He screamed out not for himself, but for Tali.

The help had come immediately, troops left and right carrying her, getting the machinist to the medical bay as soon as they could. When Chakwas enquired about their injuries, he hesitated. He was in shock. Liara managed to coax him into it, appealing to him with the voice and the face of a friend. After that, Chakwas operated, having help from an unknown marine and Liara. They removed a chunk shrapnel from his torso. A lesser doctor would have had to remove one of his plates to get at it, but Chakwas was equal to any turian medic he could care to mention. It was painful, but they heavily applied medigel making the risk of infection at near zero.

Tali's situation was much worse, but was saved due to the ingenuity of her suit design. Knowing that a suit rupture can be deadly, quarian tailors add a small VI that can quarantine that part of the body, and apply medigel instantaneously, lowering the possible damage.

But even then, she needed a good doctor. Chakwas worked tirelessly first working her upper thigh, then moved on to her arm, picking every bit of steel and aluminium out of her wounded body.

When Garrus opened his eyes, the ship was moving, quickly. He sat up

"You sit back down right now."

When Garrus had initially been injured, he had felt as if someone had speared his side, now he only felt a slight prodding, as if a small toddler had been given a pen and orders not to poke the spiny.

"Garrus, if a muscle tears, you'll have stay down here for another 5 days." Said Chakwas, her mothering tone ever present

"I'm fine, Doc" Garrus replied "I've been through worse and you know it"

"That's a ridiculous argument, you could end up with an infection and I don't have the medicine for two Dextro-"

And then Garrus remembered his task.

"Where's Tali?" His fears growing and cascading inside like a giant beast, afraid that he had failed his friend, and-

"In quarantine. She's stable."

Garrus sighed. Then swore loudly as the Normandy crashed. Windows shattered, and several bottles were knocked over, some spilling and mixing into an unusable mess. Garrus ran up to the bridge, ignoring the warning given by the older doctor. He could see a few of the windows had been smashed, but he could see plant life outside, so they would live. He walked up to the bridge, and just out of the door were Joker and EDI in each other's arms.

"While it's nice to see that we're all in one piece, a better landing would have been appreciated, Joker" said the turian, admiring the sunset.

"Yeah, but would we have got to see that sunset otherwise? Might be the last time we ever get to look something like that."

Garrus didn't want to think what would happen if Shepard failed.

"What's the plan now?"Asked Garrus.

"Ash is holding a meeting down in the mess. We were heading down there in a minute."

"I suppose I'll see you there"

There was something he needed to check first.

He walked to the elevator, pressing the button for the commander's quarters. The elevator went quickly, and he strolled in to Shepard's room. He smiled as he saw a packed up rifle on his desk. He smiled. It was the same rifle that he'd used in that little "competition" they had on the citadel.

He heard the door open behind him and Liara walked in, not making a single sound.

He looked at her and smiled.

"Shouldn't you be in the medbay, Liara"

"I could say the same for you. Besides, Chakwas gave me permission to go to the meeting. I managed to slip away when I realised you were gone."

Liara looked at the gun.

"I don't think he'll be coming back, Garrus"

"I know. Gonna be an empty galaxy without him."

"I've had word from my contacts. The reapers are retreating into dark space. I think we've won." She said as a single tear rolling down her face like a glass orb.

Garrus sighed, and pulled the broker into a hug

"I just wish he'd could see what he achieved" She whimpered softly, as if not wanting to wake the ghosts they'd left behind.

The weeks passed quickly.

The reapers left without any explanation whatsoever. The council claimed it was the beginning of a new era. The Normandy's crew had disbanded, each going on to do their own things. Garrus had decided to stay with Tali until she had finished grieving. Hopefully today would help. The "official" funeral had been a tasteless affair, with politicians, cheap statues and reporters that weren't the least bit interested, only trying to make a quick few credits. The only one of the Normandy's crew that had gone was Wrex, and he had only gone after urging from his political advisors. The actual funeral was a quieter affair, with Normandy crew members and friends, both past and present.

While the exact words had varied, they had all agreed that Shepard was a great man, who thought about everyone and everything, regardless of their race or gender. Some testimonies were more memorable than others , Wrex's in particular

"He was the guy who showed me that not everyone was made of shit"

The only one who wasn't there was Javik, who had gone into hiding shortly after the reapers had returned.

Garrus sighed, and. Javik was the only one who couldn't see that this was not a move undertaken by the reapers, so that they could kill all sentient life quicker. If the reapers had wanted to, they would've destroyed them all by now.

He didn't know what to do with himself. Victus had asked him to keep himself free, as he could be called up to be the next Primarch, but Garrus had refused. While Turians kept it simple with politics, there was still too much red tape for his liking. But as he sipped a little more of his brandy, he heard his name being whispered.

"Hey Garrus."

And when the turian turned around, he saw Jack.

"Jack, a pleasure, as always. How are you?"

"Okay, considering. What about you Garrus, how you doing? "

"Same as always, only this time I've got nothing to calibrate except a few small handguns.

Jack laughed quietly.

"I bet you're really missing those cannons aren't you. We only ever saw you to come up and grab some food."

"You sat in the hull all day ready to shoot anything that came within 15 feet. Anyway, what do you plan on doing now this is all over?"

"I got an Email a few days back. A 'Formal invitation to serve under Lieutenant Commander Williams."

"And how are your students?"

"Alive. Shepard was right about keeping them as shield support. They were going to post them in Berlin."

"Oh."

Berlin had been torn apart, and had fallen to the reapers quickly, being one of the main footholds on earth. It was also where the first beam to the citadel was established. In a push by the alliance, they had managed to get to the beam, but not without extreme losses. From there they figured out what the beam did, but then there was a counter attack by reaper forces. Needless to say, the survivors were slaughtered.

Still, it was nice to know that someone's students had lived. Garrus sighed, thinking back to his old squad. But today was not a day to think about those ghosts.

"You okay?"

Garrus emerged from his daydream, looking at a confused Jack.

"I'm fine Jack. Just thinking about some old friends."

Jack gave him a bashful look"Yeah. Well, call me some time. We should get a drink once they clean up the citadel."

"Yeah, see you around."

Garrus woke up that morning with a headache.

His alarmed beeped and his omni-tool told him he had a message in bound.

He fingered the necessary icons. It was from the Primarch.

"How are you Garrus?"

"I'm – Ow." Muttered Garrus, a bolt of pain going through his head.

"Quite the party last night, so i heard."

"With all due respect sir, what is this about?"

"Blackwatch."


End file.
